Railway Map of the Island of Sodor
Peter Edwards Clive Spong |publisher=Edmund Ward Kaye & Ward |published=1958; 1971; 1983 |series=The Railway Series |next=The Railway Series: Surprise Packet }} The Rev. W. Awdry's Railway Map of the Island of Sodor was a Railway Series related publication featuring a map of Sodor. History The Rev. W. Awdry's Railway Map of the Island of Sodor was created as part of a program of diversification began by Eric Marriott following the death of Franklyn Edmund Ward in 1957, who had never favoured producing spin-offs based on the Railway Series. Announced in Edmund Ward's 1958 catalogue, the map cost two shillings and sixpence and was 22 in by 11 in. It was, like the best Ordinance Survey Maps, linen-backed, but printed, unlike O.S. Maps, in bright colours with distinctive 1950s lettering. The map had a nursery wallpaper border and was fancifully embellished with boats, dolphins, mermaids and such, as it was intended as a decoration for children's bedroom walls. As there was to be no new book in 1971, Peter Edwards was commissioned to redraw the map for a second edition. The map was updated with new railways that had been "discovered" since the original publication and was reproduced to look like an authentic Ordinance Survey Map - complete with contour lines, rivers, railways, etc. at Edwards' own initiative. Some years after its publication, Edwards' saw the map as part of an exhibition at the British Museum on fictional cartography. This version of the map was included in Sodor: Reading Between the Lines. When Christopher Awdry began writing books for the Railway Series, a third edition illustrated by Clive Spong was published. A modified version of this was included in The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways. Characters * Thomas * Edward * Henry * Gordon * James * Percy * Toby * Duck * Donald and Douglas * Oliver * Bill and Ben * Daisy * BoCo * Bear * Skarloey * Rheneas * Sir Handel * Peter Sam * Rusty * Duncan * Duke * Ernest * Wilfred * Culdee * Patrick * Alaric * Eric * Rex * Mike * Bert * Annie and Clarabel * Trevor * Bertie * Terence * Harold * Sir Topham Hatt * Mrs. Kyndley (mentioned) * Queen Elizabeth II (mentioned) Trivia * The events of Thomas the Tank Engine, James the Red Engine, Tank Engine Thomas Again, Duck and the Diesel Engine, Gallant Old Engine, Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine and Very Old Engines are referenced. * Terence's original name "Terry" is seen on the map. * The Rev. W. Awdry sent a copy of the 1958 edition to The Right Reverend Benjamin Pollard, Bishop of Sodor and Man, to inform him that he had discovered the "lost half" of his diocese. Goofs * On the front cover of the 1958 edition, Percy is painted blue instead of green. * Godred and Shane Dooiney are omitted from the 1971 edition despite being part of the Culdee Fell Railway. * On the 1971 edition, Duke and Rusty are painted red, despite Duke being brown and Rusty being charcoal black in the Railway Series. Gallery File:RailwayMap.png|1958 cover File:Sodor1958.jpg|1958 Map File:RailwayMap6.png|1958 back cover File:RailwayMap1.png|1971 cover File:IslandofSodor.jpg|1971 Map drawn by Peter Edwards File:RailwayMap2.png File:RailwayMap4.png File:RailwayMap5.png References External links * Railway Map of the Island of Sodor on RareMaps.com (High resolution image by Deep Zoom) *The Mapping of Sodor on Pegsean.net Category:Railway Series Books Category:Books Category:Images of Maps